Paul Placed before Agrippa. Festus probably lived in Herod's palace at Cæ sarea, which would contain a large court-room for judicial proceedings, the place of hearing. The officers of rank and the leading people of Cæ sarea are taken by Mommsen to make up the council which Festus consulted (Acts 25:12), and Agrippa is also allowed to be connected with that body. Festus states the case again, but shortly: he confesses himself to be at a loss how to write the letter with which a prisoner appealing to a higher court had to be accompanied (Digests, xlix. 6).
Acts 25:26. my lord (Kyrios): the emperors from Caligula downwards accept the title by which Oriental monarchs were addressed, and which Augustus and Tiberius had refused. The words after examination had (Acts 25:26) represent the following scene as a quasi-judicial inquiry, not merely the diversion of a court. But the hearing of Paul by Agrippa may have been found existing by itself and adopted by our author in spite of the fact that the same matter has been given twice already in his book.